Movie Review: The 40 Year-Old Virgin

Never have I been more surprised with the volume, consistency or vulgarity of cursing in a movie than I was with The 40 Year-Old Virgin. Sure, ‘go fuck a goat’ is funny, but the torrent of profanity this movie offered really did go above and beyond what I would normally tolerate, even in a comedy. I’m pretty sure there were more f-bombs in The 40 Year-Old Virgin than Pulp Fiction (one of my all-time faves), but there were used to much lesser results.

Some of the swearing was funny, but mostly when it came at unexpected times or from otherwise serious characters. A good 1/3 or 1/2 of the cursing could have been left on the cutting room floor.

Now that my puritanical rant is over, I’d like to congratulate the filmmakers on actually creating a pretty decent romantic comedy. Steve Carell is believable, as always, as a doe-eyed dimwit. Catherine Keener makes sense as a laid-back divorcee grandmother. The rest of the cast is a rogue’s gallery of guy stereotypes, all intent on giving Steve’s character, Andy Stitzer, advice that only barely works for them (if at all).

In the end, the geek gets the girl; love conquers all; his true personality wins him the love; et cetera. Par for the course.

I enjoyed it, but I was looking for something more from the supporting cast. Carell can be funny in his own way, but maybe not enough to carry a movie (a TV show, The Office, yes).

My two cents.

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